How to highlight all cells referenced by a formula in Excel?

This article is talking about highlighting all cells which was referenced by a formula in Excel. Please follow the below two methods to get it done.

Highlight all cells referenced by a formula with Shortcut key

Highlight all cells referenced by a formula with VBA code

Highlight all cells referenced by a formula with Shortcut key

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This section will recommend you to use Shortcut key to select all cells which was referenced by a formula, and then manually fill color to them.

1. Supposing E1 is a formula cell, and you need to highlight all cells which was referenced by it. Please select the formula cell E1, then press Ctrl + [ (the open-square-bracket) keys simultaneously.

2. Now cells that referenced by this formula are selected, please specify a fill color to highlight them. See screenshot:

Highlight all cells referenced by a formula with VBA code

You can also running VBA code to highlight all cells which was referenced by a formula in Excel.

1. Press Alt + F11 keys to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. In the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, please click Insert > Module. Then copy and paste the below VBA code into the Module window.

VBA code: Highlight all cells referenced by a formula in Excel

Sub HighlightCellsReferenced()
    Dim rowCnt As Integer
    Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, strleng As Integer
    Dim strTxt As String, strFml As String
    Dim columnStr, cellsAddress As String
    Dim xRg As Range, yRg As Range
    On Error Resume Next
    Set xRg = Application.InputBox(Prompt:="Please select formula cell(s)...", _
    Title:="Kutools For Excel", Type:=8)
    
    strTxt = ""
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    For Each yRg In xRg
        If yRg.Value <> "" Then
            strFml = yRg.Formula + " "
            strFml = Replace(strFml, "(", " ")
            strFml = Replace(strFml, ")", " ")
            strFml = Replace(strFml, "-", " ")
            strFml = Replace(strFml, "+", " ")
            strFml = Replace(strFml, "*", " ")
            strFml = Replace(strFml, "/", " ")
            strFml = Replace(strFml, "=", " ")
            strFml = Replace(strFml, ",", " ")
            strFml = Replace(strFml, ":", " ")
              
            For j = 1 To Len(strFml)
                If Mid(strFml, j, 1) <> " " Then
                    cellsAddress = cellsAddress + Mid(strFml, j, 1)
                Else
                    On Error Resume Next
                    Range(cellsAddress).Interior.ColorIndex = 3
                    cellsAddress = ""
                End If
            Next
        End If
    Next yRg
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

3. Press the F5 key to run the code. In the popping up Kutools for Excel dialog box, please select a formula cell or multiple formula cells which you need to highlight referenced cells based on, and then click the OK button. See screenshot:

Now all referenced cells based on the selected formula cell(s) are highlighted in red immediately as below screenshot shown.

Related articles:

• How to keep formula cell reference constant in Excel?
• How to reference tab name in cell in Excel?

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